Transcript – Informant speaking
Father: “Back to Finn MacCool, you remember visiting the Giant’s Causeway? So, so apparently, Finn McCool had a big argument with another giant in Scotland, called Benandonner, and they start hurling rocks at each other and that’s how the Giants Causeway was supposed to be formed and also the Isle of Man, which is an island in the middle of the Irish Sea between Scotland and Northern Ireland.”
Mother: “And wasn’t that where one of the Loughs came from them, was them pulling up the earth created Lough Neagh?-”
Father: “-Created Lough Neagh, yes.”

Background
One of the few Irish myths I was able to collect. This was during a conversation between me and my parents, who are both irish. Hence their collection to the folklore. However, I didn’t feel as though they were too attached to the lore, even though they found it engaging. As for where they heard it, I wouldn’t be surprised if my dad was just remembering the stuff he’d heard on the tour.

Context
My dad has a very thick Irish accent, which should be noted. Also, the opening line on “Back to Finn MacCool” was in response to two other stories they had told about this figure. My mom had taken a break to talk about the Children of Lir, but my dad wanted to go back. What’s interesting is how this story was told in the context of the memory of a trip we took. We once visited the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, which is what prompted my dad to start telling this story.

Thoughts
What’s interesting is how this story was told in the context of the memory of a trip we took. We once visited the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, which is what prompted my dad to start telling this story. Myths are usually very formative, and I feel like very few people ever bring them up in normal conversation. Even in conversations about folklore. In this case, it took a former location to prompt the story. This was mainly because the myth itself explained that place’s existence.